Latest News and Information from wWeek ending 2 June 2013

Fishery News

• Best evening’s fishing ever at Rutland Water!
Richard Cooper wins Tuesday Boat League match with 8 fantastic fish for 26lb 9½oz, second placed Warren Langridge nets 8 for 26lb 4oz
“Best evening’s fishing I have witnessed in all the years the league has been running” says Rutland Warden Nigel Savage

• Great week at Grafham Water with a rod average of 6.2
Rio Masters win Anglian Water Airflo International Midland heat with team member Paul Shaw best rod weighing in 8 fish for 25lb 13oz

• Annual trip to Rutland Water nets 81 year old John a personal best
John Glanfield of Exeter nets personal best fish – a superb 9lb 8oz Brown

http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure

Rutland Water 01780 686441; Grafham Water 01480 810531;
Pitsford, Ravensthorpe & Hollowell 01604 781350,
Taverham Mills Fishery 01603 861014; Alton Water 01473 589105
Recreation Dept Anglian Water 01572 653021

Rutland Water
Fish week 2,313 (season 18,783) Returns 564 (3,453) Rod average 4.1 (5.43)
Another fantastic week at Rutland Water with many limits along the way with superb conditioned fish caught along with a personal best.

John Glanfield has been travelling up to Rutland Water from Exeter with friends for a week’s fishing every year since the water opened. Last week John and his fishing buddies Richard Powlesland and Chris Curtis had a fantastic time taking 176 fish between them over five days. 81 year old John netted a personal best fish last Tuesday whilst fishing off the dam – a superb 9lb 8oz Brown. The fish fell to John’s favourite tactic of a floating line and buzzers with the big fish taking a size 14 olive buzzer. Richard’s best fish was a 6lb 5½oz Rainbow and Chris chipped in with Rainbows up to 5½lb.

Elsewhere the best Rainbow recorded went to John Phelps from East Lexham with a stunning 7lb 12oz fish that fell to an amber nymph fished on a sink tip. Other notable fish included Rob Clarke’s cracking 7lb 2oz Rainbow from the main basin. Rob, from Newcastle Upon Tyne, shared a boat with Kev Dinning, the pair took advice from the wardens on the best areas to fish and together they recorded over 40 fish throughout the day.

Good friends Graham Land and Ian Robertson from North Wales enjoyed four great days boat fishing at Rutland Water with Rainbows up to 6lb 3oz and 5lb 10oz respectively. Ian also added two very large Bream around the 8-9lb mark to his tally which took a fancy to his nymphs.

Along with the good sport it was a full week that saw good numbers of fish feeding off the top throughout the day. The first time this has happened for quite a while. Small dries have fooled a few fish that have moved really close into the bank, with many bank anglers not even having to get into the water to cover the fish.

Fly hatches have again been heavy with various sizes and some fish feeding on very small black and olive buzzers.

Prospects look excellent – with the added attraction of moving fish on the top and fish being caught in most areas of the reservoir. Lots of fish are feeding close to the bank on buzzers etc. However, fish out in the open water of the main basin are feeding heavily on shrimp, bloodworm, daphnia and snails. Over the years the benchmark for a big fish at Rutland Water has been 5lb, however for this season it is now around the 6-7lb mark.

Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League
Richard Cooper of Empingham won last week’s match with both the best bag and the best fish. Richard gained maximum points giving him the league lead. Richard’s eight fish, taken in the Main Basin, weighed a staggering 26lb 9½lb. Not far behind Richard was Warren Langridge who also fished the Main Basin with eight fish for 26lb 4oz. Warren travelled all the way from Barnsley to fish for the evening. Warden Nigel Savage says “This is the best evening’s fishing I have witnessed in all the years that the league has been running. We have seen some really good numbers of quality Rainbows tonight.”

Rutland Water continued

1st Richard Cooper 8 fish for 26lb 9½oz
2nd Warren Langridge 8 fish for 26lb 4oz
3rd Graham Hayward 8 fish for 23lb 10½oz
4th Toff Crowther 7 fish for 21lb 9½oz

League table after 4 weeks
1st Richard Cooper 21 points
2nd Keith Jones (Wittering) 18 points
3rd Graham Hayward 17 points
4th Chris Evans 15 points
5th Keith Jones 15 points
6th Wayne Langridge 10 points

Best Rainbow 7lb 12oz taken by John Phelps of East Lexham.

Best Brown 9lb 8oz taken by John Glanfield of Exeter.

Best methods Floating/midge tip with black/olive buzzer and nymphs. Crunchers, hares ear, diawl bach. Dries are taking fish, lures in the main basin.

Best boat areas The main basin, either side of Old Hall, Hambleton Wood to Inmans Spinney. Dickensons Bay, Armley Wood to Carrot Creek.

Best bank areas Old Hall to Inmans Spinney, Sykes Lane to Whitwell Road, Normanton to Fantasy Island, Armley Wood to Barnhill Creek.

Fish stocked 3,000.

Mid week boat winner J Blair of Durham.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 5,15,22 and 29 June; 7,14,21 & 28 July and throughout the season.
Tuesday Night Boat League
Anglian Water Floating Line 8 June
England Qualifer ‘Odds & Sods’ 16 June
Anglian Water Airflo International Midland Heat 19 June
Mid Summer Rudder match (leg 3 of 5) 29 June

Grafham Water
Fish week 1,322 (season 9,935) Returns 213 (1892) Rod average 6.2(5.25)
With the improving weather fish are feeding more and more on the huge hatches of buzzers coming off from the water. The west end of the lake seems to be holding large numbers of fish, most of which are responding to either straight lined buzzers or three buzzers fished under the bung. The south end of the dam is also holding fish and these are feeding on buzzers.

Competition news
Anglian Water Airflo International Midlands heat
On Saturday 1 June Grafham Water hosted a large number of entries in the Midlands heat of the Anglian Water Airflo International with 12 teams in hot pursuit of one of the six places in the Midlands final on Monday 22 July.

The vast majority of boats headed towards the west end of the lake from Valley Creek to the Nature Reserve frontage, fishing many different methods with Julian Hubbard of Rio Masters finishing in double quick time (11a.m.) with his limit of 8 fish. The remainder of the boats headed off for either the Seat/Sludge bank area or the south dam area, with only a modicum of success in the morning with these two areas switching on later on in the day, when the western end is slowing down.

There were plenty of contenders for the best fish but the prize went to Dave Curries of Mid Northants Saints with a stunning Rainbow of 4lb 13 1/8oz. Top rod on the day went to Paul Shaw of Rio Masters with 8 fish for 25lb 13oz. The rod average for the match was 6.21 showing how well Grafham is fishing at the moment.
1st Rio Masters 48 fish for 141lb 2¼oz
2nd Elinor 43 fish for 122lb 3 5/8oz
3rd Ospreys 46 fish for 122lb 1¾oz
4th SKB Fishbums 45 fish for 112lb 10¼oz
5th GWFFA 1 39 fish for 98lb 8 5/8oz
6th Fish Hawks 35 fish for 89lb 14 5/8oz
7th GWFFA 2 35 fish for 89lb 2 7/8oz
8th Mid Northants Saints 37 fish for 88lb 11 1/8oz
9th Sonic Pirates 36 fish for 88klb 6 5/8oz
10th Defenders 31 fish for 71lb 5/8oz
11th Invicta FFC 33 fish for 70lb 6 5/8oz
12th Mid Northants Cobblers 19 fish for 40lb 10¼oz

Best Brown 5lb 10oz.

Best methods See report.

Best boat areas Valley Creek, West End, Nature Reserve frontage, Seat to Sludge Bank and South end of Dam.

Best bank areas Gaynes Cove, Hill Farm, Deep Water Point.

Fish stocked 2,000.

Mid week boat winner Malcolm Fisher of Somerset.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 8,20,23,29 June; 13,19,24 & 28 July and throughout the season.
Tuesday Night Boat League organised by Invicta
England Qualifier ‘Odds & Sods’ 30 June

Pitsford Water
Fish week 656 (season 4,914) Returns 204 (1,470) Rod average 3.2(3.4)
Pitsford Water continues to fish very well for some anglers, whilst some others have struggled. Method and tactics seem very critical – buzzers and nymphs fished static or slow is the way to go. Plenty of fish in the 4-6lb range are coming to this method. Season ticket holder Dan Fletcher had a great afternoon session from the bank taking six fish and having many more takes fishing static buzzers.

Pat Flynn and Brian Coleman had a great day off the bank in Pitsford Creek, fishing floating and midge tip lines and buzzers. Boat anglers have found fish all around the water fishing the margins with Brixworth Bay, Pines and Rigbys worth a try. Bank anglers should try Bog Bay, Stilton, Gorse and Pitsford Creek.

Best Rainbow 6lb plus returned.

Best Brown 4lb plus, returned.

Best methods Floating lines, buzzers and diawl bachs or daddies.

Best boat areas Small Half, Pitsford Creek, Cliffs.

Best bank areas Stilton Point, Gorse.

Fish stocked 750

Mid week boat winner Bob Church of Northampton.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 9 and 21 June; 6,10 & 27 July and throughout the season.
Pike beginners course Saturday 20 July

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 357 (season 3,652) Returns 58 (737) Rod average 6.1 (4.9)
Anglers have enjoyed some phenomenal sport at Ravensthorpe this week with a healthy rod average of 6.1.

Following a steady start on Bank Holiday Monday in warm, bright conditions, anglers were finding fish deeper and caught on lure tactics. The overcast, wet conditions that followed saw fishing change dramatically with fish being caught higher in the water on dries. Shipmans buzzers fished from a drifting boat proved deadly for Mr Garman’s party who caught and released 90 fish. Mr Jinks and his boat partner caught 26 fish on similar tactics.

Last weekend saw some fantastic fishing with Saturday the best day of the week. David Bond caught 22 fish at the Coton end of the reservoir – all on black buzzers fished static with some very steady takes occurring. Mick Griffin had a great day with 9 fish to small dries in the morning then 6 fish between 4 and 6lb on a small damsel nymph after lunch. Greg Hartley also caught and released a 10lb plus fish close to the Island on a Pitsford Pea.

The bank has continued to be challenging but John Smith had a good session on the dam and other anglers have been connecting with a few fish on Mongers bank.

Best Rainbow 10lb plus taken by Greg Hartley.

Best methods See report.

Best boat areas Coton End, the Island, Tall Willows.

Best bank areas Dam, Platforms 4,5 and 6 in the evening.

Mid week boat winner Mick O’Farrell of Milton Keynes.